Leviticus 26:32
New International Version
I myself will lay waste the land, so that your enemies who live there will be appalled.

New Living Translation
Yes, I myself will devastate your land, and your enemies who come to occupy it will be appalled at what they see.

English Standard Version
And I myself will devastate the land, so that your enemies who settle in it shall be appalled at it.

Berean Standard Bible
And I will lay waste the land, so that your enemies who dwell in it will be appalled.

King James Bible
And I will bring the land into desolation: and your enemies which dwell therein shall be astonished at it.

New King James Version
I will bring the land to desolation, and your enemies who dwell in it shall be astonished at it.

New American Standard Bible
And I will make the land desolate so that your enemies who settle in it will be appalled at it.

NASB 1995
‘I will make the land desolate so that your enemies who settle in it will be appalled over it.

NASB 1977
‘And I will make the land desolate so that your enemies who settle in it shall be appalled over it.

Legacy Standard Bible
And I will make the land desolate, so that your enemies who inhabit it will themselves feel desolate because of it.

Amplified Bible
I will make the land desolate, and your enemies who settle in it will be appalled at it.

Christian Standard Bible
I also will devastate the land, so that your enemies who come to live there will be appalled by it.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I also will devastate the land, so that your enemies who come to live there will be appalled by it.

American Standard Version
And I will bring the land into desolation; and your enemies that dwell therein shall be astonished at it.

Contemporary English Version
Your land will become so desolate that even your enemies who settle there will be shocked when they see it.

English Revised Version
And I will bring the land into desolation: and your enemies which dwell therein shall be astonished at it.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I will make your land so deserted that your enemies will be shocked as they settle in it.

Good News Translation
I will destroy your land so completely that the enemies who occupy it will be shocked at the destruction.

International Standard Version
I'll make the land so desolate that your enemies who live in it will be astonished."

Majority Standard Bible
And I will lay waste the land, so that your enemies who dwell in it will be appalled.

NET Bible
I myself will make the land desolate and your enemies who live in it will be appalled.

New Heart English Bible
I will bring the land into desolation; and your enemies that dwell in it will be astonished at it.

Webster's Bible Translation
And I will bring the land into desolation: and your enemies who dwell in it shall be astonished at it.

World English Bible
I will bring the land into desolation, and your enemies who dwell in it will be astonished at it.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and I have made the land desolate, and your enemies who are dwelling in it have been astonished at it.

Young's Literal Translation
and I have made desolate the land, and your enemies, who are dwelling in it, have been astonished at it.

Smith's Literal Translation
And I laid the land waste, and your enemies were astonished at it, they dwelling upon it.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And I will destroy your land, and your enemies shall be astonished at it, when they shall be the inhabitants thereof.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And I will utterly ruin your land, and your enemies shall be stupefied at it, when they will have become its inhabitants.

New American Bible
So devastated will I leave the land that your enemies who come to live there will stand aghast at the sight of it.

New Revised Standard Version
I will devastate the land, so that your enemies who come to settle in it shall be appalled at it.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And I will bring the land into desolation; and your enemies who dwell therein shall be astonished at it.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And I shall destroy also the land and your enemies who dwell in it shall be astonished over it.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And I will bring the land into desolation; and your enemies that dwell therein shall be astonished at it.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And I will lay your land desolate, and your enemies who dwell in it shall wonder at it.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Punishments for Disobedience
31I will reduce your cities to rubble and lay waste your sanctuaries, and I will refuse to smell the pleasing aroma of your sacrifices. 32And I will lay waste the land, so that your enemies who dwell in it will be appalled. 33But I will scatter you among the nations and will draw out a sword after you as your land becomes desolate and your cities are laid waste.…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 28:37
You will become an object of horror, scorn, and ridicule among all the nations to which the LORD will drive you.

Jeremiah 18:16
They have made their land a desolation, a perpetual object of scorn; all who pass by will be appalled and shake their heads.

Ezekiel 5:14-15
I will make you a ruin and a disgrace among the nations around you, in the sight of all who pass by. / So you will be a reproach and a taunt, a warning and a horror to the nations around you, when I execute judgments against you in anger, wrath, and raging fury. I, the LORD, have spoken.

Jeremiah 25:9
behold, I will summon all the families of the north, declares the LORD, and I will send for My servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, whom I will bring against this land, against its residents, and against all the surrounding nations. So I will devote them to destruction and make them an object of horror and contempt, an everlasting desolation.

2 Chronicles 7:20-21
then I will uproot Israel from the soil I have given them, and I will banish from My presence this temple I have sanctified for My Name. I will make it an object of scorn and ridicule among all the peoples. / And when this temple has become a heap of rubble, all who pass by it will be appalled and say, ‘Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’

Isaiah 6:11-12
Then I asked: “How long, O Lord?” And He replied: “Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left unoccupied and the land is desolate and ravaged, / until the LORD has driven men far away and the land is utterly forsaken.

Jeremiah 9:11
“And I will make Jerusalem a heap of rubble, a haunt for jackals; and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant.”

Ezekiel 33:28-29
I will make the land a desolate waste, and the pride of her strength will come to an end. The mountains of Israel will become desolate, so that no one will pass through. / Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I have made the land a desolate waste because of all the abominations they have committed.’

Jeremiah 19:8
I will make this city a desolation and an object of scorn. All who pass by will be appalled and will scoff at all her wounds.

Isaiah 64:10-11
Your holy cities have become a wilderness. Zion has become a wasteland and Jerusalem a desolation. / Our holy and beautiful temple, where our fathers praised You, has been burned with fire, and all that was dear to us lies in ruins.

Ezekiel 36:4
therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD. This is what the Lord GOD says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys, to the desolate ruins and abandoned cities, which have become a spoil and a mockery to the rest of the nations around you.

Jeremiah 44:22
So the LORD could no longer endure the evil deeds and detestable acts you committed, and your land became a desolation, a horror, and an object of cursing, without inhabitant, as it is this day.

Luke 21:20-24
But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, you will know that her desolation is near. / Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country stay out of the city. / For these are the days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. ...

Matthew 23:37-38
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling! / Look, your house is left to you desolate.

Romans 11:25-26
I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not be conceited: A hardening in part has come to Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. / And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will remove godlessness from Jacob.


Treasury of Scripture

And I will bring the land into desolation: and your enemies which dwell therein shall be astonished at it.

And I

Deuteronomy 29:23
And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath:

Isaiah 1:7,8
Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers…

Isaiah 5:6,9
And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it…

and your

Deuteronomy 28:37
And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither the LORD shall lead thee.

Deuteronomy 29:24-28
Even all nations shall say, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this land? what meaneth the heat of this great anger? …

1 Kings 9:8
And at this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and to this house?

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Appalled Astonished Desolate Desolation Devastate Dwell Dwelling Enemies Haters Lay Settle Therein Waste Wonder
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Leviticus 26
1. Of idolatry
2. Reverence
3. A blessing to those who keep the commandments
14. A curse to those who break them
40. God promises to remember those who repent














And I will lay waste the land
This phrase indicates a divine judgment upon the land of Israel. In the context of Leviticus 26, God outlines the blessings for obedience and the curses for disobedience. The laying waste of the land is a consequence of Israel's failure to uphold the covenant. Historically, this prophecy was fulfilled during the Babylonian exile when the land was devastated and left desolate. Theologically, it underscores the seriousness of covenantal faithfulness and the consequences of turning away from God. The desolation serves as a reminder of the holiness of God and His demand for His people to live according to His statutes.

so that your enemies who dwell in it
This part of the verse highlights the irony and tragedy of Israel's disobedience. The land, promised to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, would be occupied by foreign nations. This occupation by enemies is a reversal of the intended blessing of the Promised Land. Historically, this occurred when foreign powers such as the Assyrians and Babylonians invaded and settled in the land. Theologically, it serves as a warning that the blessings of God are contingent upon obedience, and disobedience can lead to the loss of divine favor and protection.

will be appalled
The reaction of the enemies, being appalled, suggests a recognition of the severity of God's judgment. This reaction could imply that even those who do not worship Yahweh can see the consequences of Israel's unfaithfulness. It also reflects the idea that the land itself is a witness to the covenant between God and His people. The desolation of the land serves as a testament to the seriousness of breaking the covenant. This phrase can also be seen as a foreshadowing of the ultimate judgment and restoration, pointing to the eschatological hope found in the New Testament, where Christ's redemptive work restores what was lost.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Israelites
The primary audience of Leviticus, the Israelites are God's chosen people, receiving the laws and commandments through Moses.

2. The Promised Land
The land given by God to the Israelites, which is central to their identity and covenant with God.

3. Enemies of Israel
The foreign nations surrounding Israel, often in conflict with them, and who would witness the desolation of the land.

4. Moses
The prophet and leader through whom God delivered the laws and commandments to the Israelites.

5. God's Covenant
The agreement between God and the Israelites, which includes blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience.
Teaching Points
The Seriousness of Disobedience
God's warnings are not idle threats but serious consequences for covenant unfaithfulness.

Reflect on areas of life where disobedience to God might lead to spiritual desolation.

The Witness of the Nations
The desolation of the land serves as a testimony to the nations of God's justice.

Consider how our lives reflect God's character to those around us.

The Faithfulness of God
Even in judgment, God remains faithful to His covenant promises.

Trust in God's faithfulness, even when facing the consequences of sin.

The Call to Repentance
The purpose of these warnings is to lead the people back to God.

Embrace repentance as a path to restoration and renewed relationship with God.

Hope for Restoration
Despite the severity of the consequences, there is always hope for restoration through repentance.

Hold onto the hope of restoration and renewal in Christ.(32) And I will bring the land into desolation. Better, And I myself will bring, &c. From the ruin of the cities and the sanctuaries the desolation extends to the whole country. Whilst the devastations hitherto were the result of God permitting hostile invasions and conquests, the desolation of the whole country and the dispersion of the Israelites described in the following verses are to be the work of God Himself. He who has promised to bless the land in so marvellous a manner (Leviticus 26:4-10) as a reward for their obedience, will Himself reduce it to the most astounding desolation as a punishment for their disobedience, so much so, that their very enemies will be amazed at it (Jeremiah 9:11 : Ezekiel 5:15; Ezekiel 33:28-29; Ezekiel 35:10; Ezekiel 36:5). . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And I
אֲנִ֖י (’ă·nî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

will lay waste
וַהֲשִׁמֹּתִ֥י (wa·hă·šim·mō·ṯî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 8074: To stun, devastate, stupefy

to the land,
הָאָ֑רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

so that your enemies
אֹֽיְבֵיכֶ֔ם (’ō·yə·ḇê·ḵem)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 341: Hating, an adversary

who dwell
הַיֹּשְׁבִ֖ים (hay·yō·šə·ḇîm)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

in it
בָּֽהּ׃ (bāh)
Preposition | third person feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew

will be appalled.
וְשָֽׁמְמ֤וּ (wə·šā·mə·mū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 8074: To stun, devastate, stupefy


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OT Law: Leviticus 26:32 I will bring the land into desolation (Le Lv Lev.)
Leviticus 26:31
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